CellarGhosts
04/20/09, 03:10 PM
The Replacements - All Shook Down
Record Label: Sire Records
Release Date: September 25, 1990
Perhaps one of the most under-appreciated albums ever made, The Replacements' All Shook Down is a bleak, yet endearing, collection of songs that paints a vivid picture of a band on its last leg. On what would prove to be the final chapter in Minneapolis' favorite sons' storied career, The Replacements served up thirteen raw, scrappy songs, vaguely reminiscent of their previous few albums. Yet, this was present only in sound. Where there was once a joyous, youthful abandon inherent in their music, there was now simply a feeling of exhaustion. You can practically sense while listening that the band knew the end was near, and there are traces of what seem to be a resigned acceptance throughout. For example, in the final moments of the closing track (aptly titled "The Last"), you can almost hear frontman Paul Westerberg & co. casually, yet tenderly, laying to rest the career of a band whose captivating romanticism still thrives just as strongly as it did back in 1985, at the peak of their abilities.
Though there are some weaker moments, there are most assuredly some gems as well. Album opener "Merry Go Round" is an instantly catchy track, chock full of Westerberg's trademark wordplay. Another choice cut is the charming "When It Began," a song that could almost sum up the entire aesthetic of the album in the lines "You stop at nothing at your first chance / Now it's nothing like when it began". Indeed, the overall feel of the album is still that of the Replacements, but it's a far cry from the carefree youth ingrained in their early work. "Sadly Beautiful", an acoustic ode to Westerberg's daughter, is a somber cut that's softly moving in its' sheer heart-on-sleeve appeal, and much like the aforementioned "When It Began," also seems to be in keeping with the theme of graceful, yet troubled, retirement.
So while the overall mood is somewhat negative (even the album cover, featuring two presumably lost dogs wandering a rain-soaked street echoes this), there is still touches of that trademark Replacements attitude, despite being largely comprised of session musicians ("Attitude" is the only song here on which all four members play together). Though it may take a few spins for the uninitiated listener to fully appreciate this album, this much should be obvious: The Replacements were a band ahead of their time, whose spirit has yet to be matched in the world of rock music.
Whiskeytown, Paul Westerberg, Ryan Adams, Big Star
http://www.myspace.com/thereplacements81
Record Label: Sire Records
Release Date: September 25, 1990
Perhaps one of the most under-appreciated albums ever made, The Replacements' All Shook Down is a bleak, yet endearing, collection of songs that paints a vivid picture of a band on its last leg. On what would prove to be the final chapter in Minneapolis' favorite sons' storied career, The Replacements served up thirteen raw, scrappy songs, vaguely reminiscent of their previous few albums. Yet, this was present only in sound. Where there was once a joyous, youthful abandon inherent in their music, there was now simply a feeling of exhaustion. You can practically sense while listening that the band knew the end was near, and there are traces of what seem to be a resigned acceptance throughout. For example, in the final moments of the closing track (aptly titled "The Last"), you can almost hear frontman Paul Westerberg & co. casually, yet tenderly, laying to rest the career of a band whose captivating romanticism still thrives just as strongly as it did back in 1985, at the peak of their abilities.
Though there are some weaker moments, there are most assuredly some gems as well. Album opener "Merry Go Round" is an instantly catchy track, chock full of Westerberg's trademark wordplay. Another choice cut is the charming "When It Began," a song that could almost sum up the entire aesthetic of the album in the lines "You stop at nothing at your first chance / Now it's nothing like when it began". Indeed, the overall feel of the album is still that of the Replacements, but it's a far cry from the carefree youth ingrained in their early work. "Sadly Beautiful", an acoustic ode to Westerberg's daughter, is a somber cut that's softly moving in its' sheer heart-on-sleeve appeal, and much like the aforementioned "When It Began," also seems to be in keeping with the theme of graceful, yet troubled, retirement.
So while the overall mood is somewhat negative (even the album cover, featuring two presumably lost dogs wandering a rain-soaked street echoes this), there is still touches of that trademark Replacements attitude, despite being largely comprised of session musicians ("Attitude" is the only song here on which all four members play together). Though it may take a few spins for the uninitiated listener to fully appreciate this album, this much should be obvious: The Replacements were a band ahead of their time, whose spirit has yet to be matched in the world of rock music.
Whiskeytown, Paul Westerberg, Ryan Adams, Big Star
http://www.myspace.com/thereplacements81